Today's Sweet Pleasures

Happy October, friends:)

It's a sunny, though somewhat chilly, fall day here in New England. The perfect kind of day for a local fair, filled with fried dough, rickety rides and children screaming with pleasure. I say this because the teeny-tiny town that I grew up in in Connecticut, is hosting it's annual autumn fair. I used to go, without fail, every year. In middle and high school, I would plan my outfit (definitely something with layers, comfy shoes, and a coordinating scrunchie) starting in the late summer, anticipating the excitement of the beginning of the school year, hanging out late with friends and enjoying the best of the best of fall. Oh, and did I tell you that I used to march in the marching band at the fair? This was a big deal and we were very cool ;). Oh, how I love local fairs.

I won't be attending this year, though I have plans to start the fair thing again when my little guy comes, as I'm sure that I can find a few good fairs local to my home in Massachusetts. Today, though, is full of other fall pleasures, including:

- poached eggs, toast  and coffee out on the back deck

-the smell of freshly cut lawn
- household fall clean-up chores
- open windows and cozy sweaters
- laundry on the line, again:)
- maybe the baking of an apple pie, inspired by Johanna over at Birds on a Wire
- a few strolls down our driveway, which is now covered and colored with fallen leaves

What does your fall day have in store for you??

xoxo

B

Today's Sweet Pleasures

Cucumber and tomato salad, with vegetables pulled fresh from our garden

The smell of apple crisp wafting from the oven

A cool breeze coming in through open windows

An afternoon nap with hubby & Luna

A pumpkin-scented candle
Laundry hanging out to dry on the clothes line

Peanut butter and pumpkin spice spread on whole grain toast

The name Benjamin- soon to belong to the little guy inside of me

Baby kicks tickling my belly

The anticipation of what September, my favorite month, will bring

Knowing that today is the first of a three-day weekend

Dinner and an outdoor fire with friends this evening

I hope your Saturday is full of sweet things:)

xoxo

Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

Today, Mother Nature doesn't know if she wants rain or shine in Massachusetts, so we've seen a little of both. I wrote this post last night, but didn't upload the photos until today. Since I wrote this, I've eaten 3 cupcakes. Yikes:).

There's been a lot of talk of Autumn floating around this blogworld lately. While I really love the summer, I can't help but get excited for fall, as it's been my favorite season since I was a little girl jumping in gigantic piles of leaves and carving pumpkins. Maybe it's because Autumn always brings my birthday, or maybe it's because of the smell of pumpkin pie, freshly plucked apples, anything-spice. Perhaps it's because the clothes are oh-so-cute-and-snuggly. I don't know, but whatever it is, it's on my mind right now:).

And when I think of fall, I get a hankering to bake.

 

Tonight I baked one of Matt's favorites- carrot cake. But instead of a cake, I found a sweet (and delicious) carrot cake muffin recipe online here.

 

Absolutely scrumptious:)

 

With the pumpkin spice candle lit and a tall glass of milk, we're going to sit and enjoy the taste of fall on this rainy summer evening.

Happy weekend!!

xoxo

Dinner for 4

We’re having dinner guests over tonight. On the menu is teriyaki salmon (my husband grills a fantastically mean teriyaki salmon, which, let’s be truthful here, is one of the reasons why he is my husband;)), pearled basil couscous and green beans. For dessert, we’ll be having homemade blueberry apple crisp, served up warm with a scoop of vanilla gelato. I could hardly contain my excitement at the grocery store when I bought it!! We’ll also be having Trader Joe’s dark-chocolate covered blueberries. If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, I highly recommend trying these blueberries. They are so delicious:).

I got some fresh flowers for the occasion and pulled out my spring apron (which I got on sale last year at Williams Sonoma outlet), while my little monkey of a dog looked on with a quizzical stare. What a glorious Saturday;).


xoxo